Building construction



Dec. 17, 1929. w. H. wlLsoN ET AL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov.- 9.1927 INVENTORS,

lrat'entedl Dec. 17, 1929 UNrr f 'rs WILLIAM H. WILSON AND HARRYWESTBERG, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AS-

SIGNORS 0F ONE-FOURTH TO ROBERT P. MILLER ANDTHREE-FOURTHVS TO SAIDWILSON BUILDING CONSTIELU'GTIONv Application filed November 9, 1927.Serial No. 232,121.

This invention relates broadly to building` constructions, and moreparticularly to an improved method and means for obtaining certaindesired results in such construction, such as the fireproong thereof.The invention provides a better piece of finished work with theelimination of surface stains and in less time and at less expense thanhas heretofore been possible. The method is readily workable, does notrequire skilled labor and is generally superior.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel and useful provision, formation, construction and association ofparts, members and features, as well as a method of use, certainadaptations of which are shown in the accompanying drawing, describedgenerally and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation partly in section showing a possible constructionfor fabricated structures, utilizing the improved invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the liner 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4L is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a portion ofthis construction in which the invention is utilized, the bottom line ofFig. 4 represents the exterior surface of the construction afterfinished plaster has been applied;

Fig. 5 is a invention.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the samereference characters. Referring now with particularity to the drawings,we have illustrated our improved invention in an adaptation for buildingpurfurther sectional view of the poses wherein it is desired tofireproof the uilding structure. In so reproofing said structure we haveprovided lan effective medium for preventing transmissionof heat. Wehave found it expedient to provide for our iireproofing medium amaterial which is relatively inexpensive and to soapply said materialthat a. skilled workman is not required forits application. Wehavefoundthat gypsum or similar material, used alone or mixed with otheringredients and applied to the fabricated structure in a manner toxbeldescribed, functions to provide they objects of this invention. v

In the drawing a; is a beam adapted to be supported by a column b and itwill be noted that the floor supporting members c are secured to thebeam ain the customary manner. In the case of the columns, surroundingsaid columns is a foraminous member such as expanded metal lath d andthis ex.

panded metal lath is held spaced from the column b by what are' known aschannel reinforcements e. So far the elements just described areordinary for metal lathing construction when used only to support theplaster finish. The use of the foraminous member such as metal lath d iscontinued with respect to the beams a, as shownin Fig. 2, with said lathsupported by any suitable means as 1 and 2, the part 2 acting as ahanger or channel reinforcement and the part l including means forsecuring the member 2 to the beam v0. It will also be noted in Fig. 2that the floor supporting member c may be cov-y ered with the lathing dto support the floor slab la. We now surround the column or columns bwith gypsum or other material in 'a dry state and in this regard it willbe noted sprayed or soaked with water-or other liquid, l

or in the case of the element 7, the water or other liquid may bedirected against the outside of such element and passed through itcausing the gypsum or other material to harden. The gypsum or othermaterial will be designated as g. l

It is apparent that by the method just outlined, we eliminate certainundesirable features that have previously been used in fireproofing, towit, we fireproof more rapidly and with less dimculty than heretofore,and likewise lighter, simpler and more porous forms may be utilized as-the ingredients to be held .are lin a dry state and not fluid and aretherefore less likely to run or to create hydraulic pressure in forms inwhichv a hydraulic head could 'be created. The question of moisturecontent with gypsum particularly in columns, girders, or where largemasses of gypsum are used, is a serious one `in that all the water notused in crystallization must be expelled through the surface of thegypsum. This 'is sometimes .a slow procedure and has a :tendency to.carry .any impurities and stains Within the gypsum to the surface ofsaid gypsum. By applying` the gypsum in a dry state and then adding` thewater afterwards to `the surface of Vsait..-gypsunn the moisture istaken from .the `surface inwardly ofthe said gypsum, so as to car-ry'the stains away from .theface anda lesser amount of water may be used.as .only the amount necessary to .cause .crystallization of thecalcined gypsum is required as -it is not necessary .to use the .excesswater required vto make the Wet gypsum fluidas has heretofore been done.It is obvious that .a much less amount of water may be used .and.therefore a correspondingly less amount will have to be .removed byevaporation. Of course it is understood that the gypsum lused by us .is:in @the calcined form requiring water .to be added vthereto vto `causeit to .recrystallize It is .also within the purview of our invention toapply some glutinous or other material `to the metal lath which willtake the place l.of paper fabric or the llike f, and which is.suliicien-t .to retain 4the gypsum or -other material -on said ylath,.but which will readily allow water or other liquid to pass tl rough tobe .absorbed 'by .the lgypsum or other inater-ial. The gypsumor othermaterial maybe poured to .providea first layer which has water orotherliqu-id then sprayed upon it `or added to it, then a furtherthickness of gypsum or other material is applied .to inalrethe tota-lthickness required for the fireproofing. It is evident that the water or.other liquid in the fir-st layer of gypsum or other material will in .ameasure be absorbed by the second layer.'

Other ingredients Amay .be -used in the place of gypsum', `such asxdiatomaceous earth combined with Portland cement, pumice with gypsumv.or Portland cement, magnesite Vor similar -binderinight ybe used .as abase for th n solidifyzing part of `the ingredients and asbest-oserother heat insulating' material might be lused as .an aggregate. Theinvenuion more particularly resides inthe methodfof installing thematerial as applied to iireproefing of the fabricated frame andconstructing the vterial through which the water or other liq-v uid maypass and 'be absorbed by thegypsuin or other material, or thefireproofi-n'g niaterial might vbe wrapped with a burlap or similarmaterial .before or after the dry mater'ial is 'in place, with theburlap wetted so that the water .or otherliquid would be Vabsorbed bythe reproofing material fromsaid burlap, or .by merely spraying water orotherV liquid upon .the gypsum or other material either from above orthrough the openings in the foraminous member. Tanks .or jet outletscould `be provided for wetting the fireproofing material.

After the gypsum or other material has been set, plaster, concrete orthe like may be applied to the outer surface of the foraminous member d,.as illustrated in the drawing. In Fig. l we have illustratec'l aceiling construction wherein paper or .asimilar element has been applied,to a surface of the foraminous member with the gypsum aps pliedthereon. The finish cement or plaster is shown as h, and is notessential tto .this iiivention. This construct-ion would be used forhorizontal ceilings or any where desired, .the f as it relates toiireproofing, the present inethod of fireproofing a structure with.poured aggregates .is toconstruct forms permanent or removable intowhich wet gypsum or .other wet material is poured. In order toggelt thiswet material around the members to be reproofed it must be .quite fluid.and it is obvious that the forms must vbe close fitting, non-porous andrigidly constructed. VOur method of fireproong a Istructure is theerection Aof metal 'forms composed of .some form of metal lath, wirefabric, wire mesh, .oriother metallic or non-'metallic encasingmaterial, held in place and reinforced by .ordinary .or special furringchannels .or .other Vmeans 4so as to form the exterior or surface .of.the fireproofing and in which, ,or upon vwhich is placed the dry.material which .is wet either above .or from the outside or .through`ein-bedded conduits, just as the dry material falls in place `or .afterit is all in place, which .causes it to crystallize or harden..

Along with .the other advantages .noted herein another very importantone .is .that With our method it is not necessary `to use the customary`expensive ar l .cumbersome mixers to mix the w'ater or other liquidwith the dry materials nor the equipment necessary to transport the wetmixture from the mixers to the final position. With our method the drymaterials are taken directly to their final position in the structureand the water or other liquid added after the dry materials are in placeor as they are falling into place and the costs incident to mixing aresaved. It is also readily seen that by this method there is not theusual muss nor dbris on the job which is always present when the mixingis done before placing in the forms.

Furthermore, we have discovered with our method that the finished massis of greater specific gravity when the water or other liquid necessaryto cause the dry material to harden is added as described by ourinvention than when mixed with the dry material before being put inplace. This is for the reason that the excess amount of water or otherliquid to make the mass fluid leaves upon evaporation a considerableamount of voids in the final product and it has been proven by tests, asrecorded by Bureau of Standards Technichologic Paper Number 130, page25, that the heat insulating qualities are improved as the density orspecific gravity of the material is increased.

Also, it is a known fact that the crystalline structure produced whenthe water or other liquid is added to the above contemplated drymaterials is in a considerable measure destroyed if the mixing becarried on beyond the instant when this crystalline structure commencesto form. With our invention this difficulty is entirely eliminated andwe therefore obtain a more uniform and stronger inished product.

This invention may be used for construction and other purposes as wellas for reproong. For example, ceiling slabs and ioor slabs, roofs andWalls and structural members in a structure may be constructed by usinga dry material supported by suit* able forms, which may be eitherpermanent or removable. foraminous or watertight, and adding a liquid tothe material after it is in place or as it is being placed causing it toharden so giving it structural strength. We have described and referredin our drawings and specifications particularly to the fireprooiing partof our invention as the construction part is based on the sameunderlying principles and can be readily understood from what has beenalready described and explained. Y

Another adaptation of our invention-is that with suitable forms theproper amount of water or other liquid required to crystallize or hardenthe mass may be placed therein first and the dry material then added inlieu of the order of procedure described above.

It is obvious that various changes, modifications and variations may beutilized. in

practising the invention, in departure from the particular descriptionas given, Without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed'our invention, we claim and'desire to secure byLetters Patent:

l. The method of fireproofng a building structure, which consists inproviding a foraminous member, applying dry gypsum to said foraminousmember at the zone of application, then wetting the gypsum to cause ahardening thereof;

2. The method of fireproong a fabricated building structure, whichconsists in surrounding a structural member with metal lathing,providing a water absorbing material over said metal lathing, thenpouring dry gypsum within said water absorbing material, then sprayingsaid water absorbing material whereby the dry gypsum' is caused toabsorb the waterv and harden. 1

3. The method of vfireprooiing a building structure which consists inproviding ay foraminous member, applying thereto a water absorbingmaterial, then placing upon said water absorbing material a calcined drygypsum, then applying moisture to the water absorbing material to inturn be absorbed by the gypsum to cause a hardening of said gypsum.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

WILLIAM H. WILSON. HARRY WESTBERG.

